


Dryad

by Kleptomaniac_Can_Opener



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh!
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, Blackmail, College, F/M, M/M, Mysteries Abound, Nymphs & Dryads, Slow Burn, Yami is Confused, Yugi be Trolling
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2006-06-22
Updated: 2017-01-20
Packaged: 2018-02-09 09:17:15
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,182
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1977372
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kleptomaniac_Can_Opener/pseuds/Kleptomaniac_Can_Opener
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Muto Yami wanted a break from his life, but found himself immersed in the supernatural instead!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

The school hadn't been his parents' first choice, but he chose it for the same qualities that they thought made it unsuitable. It was far from the nearest city, surrounded by plenty of forest, and out of his parents' clutches.

His name was Muto Yami the fourth, heir to a respectable business and large fortune, and nicknamed the King of Games for the number of tournaments he'd won since he was a small child. Amateur Go, Shogi, National Level Tennis, DDR, Para Para, Duel Monsters... he'd won them all.  
It was all very exciting... and tiresome. The whole point of his going to college was really an excuse to take a break; a quiet break in the country, away from the drama and the live action soap operas that made his home.

Now his only problem was navigating the impossible map he was given to find his classes. He supposed this was why they called it Orientation. "More like Columbus Navigation 101," he grumbled to himself. "If he had to use a map like this, it's no wonder he ended up in America instead of India."  
"I hear that!" To Yami's right was a blond, a sight he was used to only because he frequented so many international tournaments. The blond grinned and continued speaking in Osaka dialect, which Yami had to hold back a laugh listening to. "Hey, I'm Wheeler Katsuya Jounouchi, though ya can call me Joey like my old man does."

Yami smiled and bowed his head. "I'm Sakurazuka Atemu, from Tokyo. I take it you're from Osaka?"  
"I know, it's obvious," the blond laughed. "I’m totally a military brat. Just don’t stereotype me, 'kay? So, where's it you're tryin' to get to?"  
"Economics with Matsushita-sensei."  
"Oh, that's where we're goin'. Ya can just follow us."  
"We?" Yami had an eyebrow raised.  
"Oh, duh. I'm with a friend. He should be here in just a bit." Joey glanced at his watch to emphasize his statement.

And as if on cue, a tall brunet with piercing blue eyes came around the corner. His proud walk was regal and predatory all at once, and instantly recognizable to Yami. He watched as that brunet arched a perfect brow upon seeing him. Yami took the chance of Joey turning around to greet him to silently tell the other man not to say a word.

"Seto, this is a new guy, Sakurazuka Atemu. He's in our economics class. Atemu-kun, ya don't mind I call you that, right? This is Kaiba Seto-kun. Valedictorian type, so if ya need tips on something just ask him." Seto interrupted Joey from continuing.  
"Tokumiya-sensei wishes to speak to you."  
"Ah, man! That guy never gives me a break! The semester only just started, too! I'll see ya in class, ‘kay?" With that, the blond ran down the hall Seto had just come from.

Blue eyes turned back to Yami and smirked. "Nice hair, Muto." Yami smirked back.  
"I wanted a change." A change was an understatement, he knew. Normally, his long locks of black silk was done in several braids remise of the Egyptian style. Now his hair was spiked and colored. His bangs were bleached and dyed a bright blond, more gold than Joey's natural yellow, and the rest melted from his natural black into a crimson red --a shade brighter than his similarly crimson eyes-- at the tips.  
"A change or a need not to be recognized?"  
"Keep a lid on it or I'll tell the tabloids you have a boyfriend. What would your fiancée think?" Yami challenged.  
"That's playing dirty, Muto," Seto snorted. The shorter male chuckled.  
"Only a little. I admit it's good to see a familiar face."

Kaiba Seto was something of a childhood friend and rival. Having grown up in the same social circles, they often saw and competed against each other. If Yami was the King of Games, Seto was the Prince. A fact Yami would rub in his face when the other annoyed him.

The warning bell rang, Yami started following Seto without a word being said. "What are you doing here, Kaiba? I thought you would be in Tokyo University."  
"I'm technically on sabbatical. Throw a little money in their faces and no one minds another person hanging around, getting an extra credit or two. This is it. Enjoy the lecture, 'Sakurazuka'."  
"Heh. As much as one can enjoy economics."

The lecture wasn't as bad as he had feared it would be, and watching Joey and another student, a young man by the name of Honda Hiroto he learned, have a spitball war in the back was amusing enough. Though Seto wasn't too pleased, if the face he made when a wayward ball pegged him in the ear was any indication.

"Hey, Atemu-kun, what's your next class?" Joey asked as he weaved between desks to get to him.  
"I'm free until calculus with Fujiwara-sensei at three."  
"Lucky," the blond pouted. "Fujiwara-sensei is an awesome teach, but I got stuck with Nakamura-sensei this semester. And I hafta get to his class like, now. God, I hate these early classes. There should be a rule ‘gainst it." The claim was made with a dramatic gesture that almost resulted in a hand to Honda’s face. Yami chuckled when the two began bantering over it.  
"I'm going to wander around. I'll see you later, Joey."

"Mutt, you're going to be late."  
"Dammit, Seto-kun! What did I say ‘bout callin' me that!"

Yami laughed at how thick Joey's accent suddenly became, then finished gathering his things, watching as the blond ran out of the room after his secret boyfriend.

 

The school grounds were as relaxing and beautiful as he knew they would be. Yami took deep breaths of the spring air. It was heavily tinted by the smell of pine and Japanese maple, and fresh water from a nearby creek. "This is what I've been needing." He followed one of the many paths that led further into the cultivated forest.

Yami paused when he picked up the faint scent of... something pleasant. "Sakura...?" He made his way through the bushes, following the subtle trail. He felt himself gasp when he found a Sakura tree in full bloom. "But it's passed Sakura season here..." He approached the tree shedding its delicate pink petals in awe.

Someone giggled.

The young man blinked and looked around, not finding anyone until he looked up. Sitting on one of the thin branches was a youth—a girl wearing a pink kimono decorated in Sakura designs, white tabi, and she had HIS hair.

"I'm sorry if I startled you." Scratch that, it wasn't a girl but a boy in girl's clothing, Yami mentally amended. "And I'm sorry about this," the boy added, twirling a golden bang with one delicate finger. "But I thought it was interesting and copied you."  
"You shouldn't be up there. You could injure yourself." The boy laughed, an oddly musical sound that made Yami's heart pick up a beat.  
"I could never be injured with this tree."  
"You'll think that until you fall out of it," Yami said with surprising sternness. "And pray tell, WHY are you in women's clothing?"

For a moment, all the youth did was blink, then he smiled and laughed. "I forgot how strange humans can be. A girl I used to know gave this to me before she left, she thought it suited me. Don't you think the same?"  
The truth was Yami did, but a male was not supposed to be so willing to wear a kimono made for a girl. And what was that comment on 'humans' supposed to mean? "You shouldn't wear it in public," he said instead of answering the boy.  
"If you feel that strongly about it, I guess I will take it off so as not to offend you."

Yami almost had a heart attack when the strange boy jumped out of the tree, but he landed safely, gracefully; delicately as one of the many falling blossoms... it shouldn't have been possible. But he didn't have time to ponder that for long.

There was the sound of cloth as the obi came undone. Milky shoulders were exposed to his gaze, then a smooth chest and pink nipples, before the whole assemble fell to pool around small feet. Yami felt his groin harden inside his leather pants and his face heated up. The boy was completely bare except for his tabi, and he was very nice to look at. "What are you doing?! Put some clothes on!"  
"Humans are so finicky. You just told me to take it off."

***

Yami fidgeted through the lecture for his current class. It was fortunate that all his professors so far were doing refresher chapters instead of diving into the new lessons; otherwise, calculus would have been a complete disaster along with physics and now traditional Japanese history.

His mind was filled with his recent experience in the woods, of the strange boy in the Sakura tree. The way he smiled and laughed was innocent and untouched, but his eyes were somehow old... and who the hell had purple eyes? They must have been contacts. It was the only explanation.

He tuned back in to Furugawa-sensei, and finding the old man still rambling on about the Heian era, thought back to how his visit with the Sakura boy had ended instead.

/"Aren't your parents worried about you? You should go home." The boy only laughed as he finished retying the obi.  
"I doubt that, assuming they're even still alive. I haven't seen them in almost a hundred years."  
"You shouldn't tell those kinds of stories.” Yami said with a scowl. “Go home. This is a college campus, you don't belong here."  
"Hmm, you really think so?" The boy's smile became sad. "Don't worry. Next year or the next, I will not be around to burden anyone."/

Yami had to run to class after that. He snorted. Someone should keep an eye on that kid, making up such stories to occupy his time wasn't healthy.

"Excuse me, Sakurazuka-san, wasn't it?"  
"Huh?" Yami snapped out of it and noticed that an attractive girl was leaning over his desk.  
"Wow, you were totally zoned out." She smiled and her blue eyes sparkled. "I'm Mazaki Anzu. I just thought you'd like to know class ended five minutes ago."  
"Oh!" Yami stood and grabbed his things. "Thank you, I wasn't paying attention."

She giggled in the way only females could manage. "I noticed. Do you have classes after this?"  
"No, I'm done for the day. You?"  
"I'm free too. Want me to show you around? I've been here since last semester, so I promise not to get us lost." She winked and Yami chuckled.  
"Sounds good." He slung his book bag across a shoulder and walked with her.

"What were you thinking about? You were completely engrossed."  
"I just had a weird morning." Yami managed to keep a blush off his cheeks.  
"Ran into some of the weirdos, huh?” she concluded. “Don't worry, they're mostly harmless. Considering the hour, how about I show you the best place to get dinner?"

***

Yami flopped back on his bed, smiling to himself. First day here and he already went on a date. Anzu was rather attractive with the body of a dancer, and she did indeed do ballet as a hobby, with a brilliant enough mind to become the defense lawyer she aspired to be. "I definitely made the right decision to wait to come this Spring semester instead of starting last fall." And by further waiting until after the semester started, he was getting way more attention. Wealth could come in handy when you wanted to make an impression.

He stared across the room at the empty bed. Another benefit of coming late was that he got a room without a roommate. That may change next semester, but for now he had the room to himself. "Yup, things couldn't get any better." He closed his eyes and fell into an easy sleep.

He woke when he felt the touch of a small hand on his bare chest. "Yami-san..." Those delicate lips whispered his name with such need that he shivered.  
"What are you-" Those supple lips pressing against his cut him off. The kiss sparked a delicious fire inside his belly. His arms wrapped around the small figure, pulling him tight against his body. His nerves were singing with the delightful burns trailing across his flesh from soft lips and slender fingers.  
"Yami-san..." The boy was breathless now, panting and flushed. "Yami-san, please."

Then he woke for real, sporting a raging hard on. "Damn it! Why the hell did I dream that?" He tried to banish the memory of the dream. The Sakura boy couldn't be more than Junior High age, he shouldn't be thinking of him like that at all! Even if the boy did have no shame about traipsing around naked in front of strangers. The kid had to be an exhibitionist.

"Shit." He closed his eyes and wiped the sweat from his brow. "When did I become a pedophile?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I know Jounouchi is his last name canon-wise. But since I decided to make him half Japanese and half Caucasian, I wanted him to have a Japanese name that could be given an American nick. And since some names in Japanese can be both given or surnames (just like in any other culture), I didn't see the harm in it.
> 
> Tabi are those two-toed socks you see in samurai movies all the time, for those who didn't know.
> 
> Obi is the thick belt that holds kimono together.  
> Usually they only have a simple bow, but they can be done in complicated designs as well (which are a bitch to undo XD). But the Sakura boy only knows the basic bow.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I know, it's been YEARS. I noticed this to be a problem with several of my fics, so I've started a rotation system that makes sure I update EVERY SINGLE STORY in a timely-ish manner.  
> I also reworked the original plot a bit. :P You might want to reread chapter 1 as I tweaked it.
> 
> Please enjoy, and know that it'll be updated again soon. :D

“Tree rot?”  
“Yeah, Honda-kun told me,” Joey answered to Yami’s question. “It’s why we don’t have any Sakura trees on property. The disease took them out.” The blond paused a moment as he chewed his sandwich, then swallowed. “Well, except the one. It’s ‘round here somewhere.”  
“I’ve seen it,” Yami confirmed. “It was still in bloom, oddly.”

His classmate raised his brows. “Seriously? That can’t be good. Don’t it take lots of energy and nutrients?”

The disguised teen didn’t know about that, but his mind couldn’t help but turn to thoughts of the boy who was with that tree. Their second meeting had been just as cryptic and frustrating as their first one.

/“Hello again.”

It had been several days since Yami had seen the Sakura boy. He had almost convinced himself it was some elaborate daydream, but then he had come across the still blooming Sakura tree. It was like the child hadn’t moved from his spot on the branch since he had left, and said child was still wearing that same kimono. “Don’t you have somewhere to be, kid?” He didn’t usually call people by such degrading titles, but he still remembered the boy’s sweet body and he felt his pants becoming too tight. He needed the reminder. Musical laughter tickled his ears.  
“I’m hardly a child,” the smaller male claimed. Yami held his breath as he pushed off the limb and practically floated to the ground as he had when they first met. “Why, by your standards I would be around nineteen years of age.”

Yami was dumbfounded. Nineteen? That would make the Sakura boy OLDER than him! He shook his head and glared at the petite youth. “Stop fooling around, you can’t be older than fourteen at the most!” His hands gripped the books in his arms hard. This child was not only baffling, but irritating as well. The boy smiled.  
“Think what you like, I cannot help my appearance. Though I am due to grow again soon.” Those violet eyes became sad, just as they had during their first meeting, but the darkness was soon banished and they were bright again. “It seems you still have classes, so please visit again when you’re not so busy.”  
“Damn, I’ll be late!” Yami dashed away, he had to hurry or he would be assigned extra work.

He still caught the sound of the boy’s giggles, and his heart gave an extra thump that had nothing to do with his sudden sprint./

“Anyway,” Joey continued, breaking Yami from his thoughts, “there’s a committee for gettin’ more Sakura trees. Then we can have flower viewings and whatnot. If you’re into that sort of thing.”  
“I’m not, I’m more into gaming,” he replied with a grin. His companion grumbled.  
“Don’t remind me, ya troll.” A few days ago, Yami had beaten him in Duel Monsters as easily as he breathed. As an apology, he was helping the blond make a more suitable deck to his playing style.

“Hey, guys.” Anzu took a seat across from them, bento in hand. “What’s up?”  
“Mister Grumpy is still pouting about my Duel Monsters win.”  
“Aww, poor Joey.”

“You two suck,” their American friend declared before biting into his curry bread, which he had for some reason slathered in peanut spread. Yami and Anzu both figured it had to be an American thing, or maybe it was just Joey.

The rest of their lunchbreak was filled with small talk and joking. It was relaxing and a routine Yami would like to keep going. Lunches, and meals in general, back home had not been something to look forward to outside of filling his belly. One or both of his parents would lecture at him about various subjects, most of the time snipping at him for imagined transgressions. Granted, that was only when they were home at all. He ate out a lot when he was obligated to be there.

“Sakurazuka-kun, when are you free again?” Anzu was looking cute as she posed the question, twirling a bit of her hair with a long, pale finger.  
“My Friday class gets out at two. How about you?”  
“Mine is out at three-thirty. Want to get together for dinner afterward?” she asked.  
“I would be honored to accompany you.”

Joey made gagging noises. Yami chuckled when Anzu swatted the blond on the back of the head.

The colorful teen’s phone vibrated, which was followed by a bemused blink when he saw who the call was from. “Excuse me, I have to take this.”

He gathered his trash and left the student lounge to find a place to have a private conversation. He located an out of the way nook then called back. “Kaiba?”  
“Muto.” Seto sounded stern like usual. “I need a favor.”  
“That’s unusual for you.”

Seto snorted and ignored the comment. “Meet me at the Purple Nation, I’m texting the address.”  
“Stranger and stranger.” Yami’s tone was filled with intrigue. “Are you feeling well?”  
“Be there at ten tonight,” the other man snapped.  
“Only because I’m curious.” His phone buzzed with the promised address not a moment after the call disconnected.

“The Purple Nation… Anzu mentioned it was a new nightclub.” The club promised to be fun, even if he was going there to meet with his sourpuss acquaintance. “I wonder if I should make sure Joey isn’t going. Nah.” He figured Seto would have already taken care of that by making sure his boyfriend was hanging out with his BFF Honda. The Kaiba heir wasn’t the sort to have loose ends after all.

Speaking of loose ends, he had to figure out where to take Anzu for their date. Perhaps this Purple Nation would be appropriate, and she had already expressed interest in the place. It was a good chance to scout it out.

He turned to go back inside when a gentle scent tickled his nose. “Sakura?” He pulled in another deep breath. It was definitely the fragrance of the delicate flower, but he shouldn’t be able to smell it from here. “Must be someone’s perfume.”

Yami couldn’t quite convince himself of that.

***

The town near the college was bigger than most towns but still too small to be a city. This was fortunate since it meant there was ample entertainment without the overcrowding. The Purple Nation sported a bright neon sign and violet banners that caused it to stand out brilliantly from its neighboring bars. The color gave Yami pause. They reminded him of the Sakura boy’s wide eyes. He shook his head, he was determined not to think about that outrageous child, and he was definitely a child no matter what he claimed.

The inside of the establishment was predictably purple as well. Rock metal was playing and people were having a good time on the dancefloor. He stopped off at the bar first, quickly deciding on the club’s signature cocktail the Purple Peach Blossom—it seemed to be their own version of a Fuzzy Navel that involved adding raspberry syrup and fresh blackberries, different but it tasted pretty good.

Eventually, he tracked down his wayward friend slash rival. No surprise that Seto was holed up at a private table in the back. “You took your sweet time,” the taller male growled as soon as he was close enough to hear him over the booming music.  
“I was here at ten, you didn’t say I had to meet you at ten.”  
“One of these days, Muto.” Seto let the threat trail off, and instead slapped a manila folder onto the table.

Yami raised a brow as he took a seat across from the brunet. “And this is?” He put his drink down so he could pick up the folder, flipping it open.  
What met his gaze were pictures of Seto and Joey that shouldn’t exist. They were personal, intimate moments that weren’t anyone else’s business.

“Do you know the culprit?” he asked.  
“Not yet.” The brunet leaned back in his seat. “Assist me in this.”

Yami knew Seto didn’t ask for help lightly. For some reason this situation had him unnerved, a strange notion seeing as he could normally deal with any threat quick and efficiently.

“What makes this different?” he finally asked.  
“The investigator was sent by Gozaburo.”

Crimson eyes widened. “Your step-father?” He flipped through the pictures again. For normal men with a fiancée these would be pretty devastating, but as much as he had ribbed Seto for it on his first day of classes, they both knew he had some leeway being from a higher social class. It was almost expected, less than classy for getting caught—as discretion was the better part of valor—but not much of a big deal in the grand scheme of things. In some social circles, Seto would be considered boring if he didn’t have some kind of dirt to gossip about. “I don’t get it, he doesn’t stand to gain from taunting you with this. He’d lose face too if he thought your fiancée would leave you so easily.”  
“I’m not privy to that bastard’s thoughts,” hissed the other teen.

Yami closed the folder and tapped a finger on it as he thought. “I’ll help, but I can’t say what I can do without knowing the full situation.” Seto snorted.  
“If I knew it I wouldn’t need your assistance.”  
“True that,” he agreed, then sighed. “I’ll pull in some favors, but you’re going to owe me big.”

Seto cursed under his breath. “I know.”

It was silent between the two as they both took a couple minutes to concentrate on their drinks. Yami chewed on his thoughts, debating on if he should bring up what was on his mind. His friend and rival made the choice for him.

“Spit it out, Muto. You weren’t planning to tell me, but you will.”  
“You realize we have a twisted and unhealthy relationship, right?” Yami snarked.  
“We’re not talking about that,” the brunet deadpanned, making the Muto heir chuckle into his drink.

“What do you know about the Sakura tree on campus?”  
“The Sakura tree?” Blue eyes blinked in confusion and curiosity. “Some disease wiped out most of them, leaving the lone survivor. There’s a committee to have more brought in. Why?”  
“Any rumors of someone who hangs around the surviving tree all the time?”

Seto tilted his head and furrowed his brow, a small frown forming on his lips. “The closest I can think of is one of those ridiculous “Eight Wonders” stories.”  
“I didn’t realize universities had those sorts of mysteries. The usual ghost in the toilet and such?”  
“Ah, but there is one that has to do with the Sakura trees here.”

Yami sat up straighter. “What about them?”  
“I was told that from before the school was built, a ghost has haunted the campus’s Sakura trees. The story is that the blossoms had been white until a heartbroken village girl committed suicide under one, her spilled blood turning them pink.”

Yami frowned. “Suicide…” Seto nodded.  
“It’s just a stupid story though. Everyone knows something like that wouldn’t change the petal color, and that ghosts aren’t real.” The tall brunet waved down a waiter for more drinks. “Why do you ask?”

The multi-colored teen steepled his fingers in front of him, thinking. Could the Sakura boy be a ghost from suicide? It didn’t feel right to him. Would someone that cheerful be the result of a suicide, no matter how long ago? If he was at peace then he should had moved on to the spirit world, right?

“It’s nothing,” he finally answered. “An errant thought, is all.”

It was unlikely, but he felt a need to investigate further into the matter anyway. Getting the old public records wouldn’t be an issue, but confirming any part of the story to be true and subsequently identifying the person in the story if it panned out would be a different issue.

That boy couldn’t really be a ghost, could he?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Someone asked about this, so I’ll confirm it: Yes, Joey’s Japanese is a little bit choppy so he speaks in short sentences, despite his mother’s efforts. His English is full of heavy slang, too. XD  
> In my head he’s grown up switching between Osaka and American military bases depending on where his father was stationed, they were in America more than Japan. Since he chose to go to a Japanese university, he’ll gradually develop better Japanese.
> 
> His sister is eloquent in both Japanese and English. :P
> 
> Also, yes the drinking age is 20 in Japan, but it’s not often enforced as long as the minor isn’t drunk in public or something.*  
> Plus, Seto and Yami could just pay off anyone who cared. XD
> 
> *source: Japanese teacher

**Author's Note:**

> [Want to stay updated on my art and stories?](http://dawneastpoint.deviantart.com/journal/Check-Here-for-my-Updates-638603365)  
>  It'll be two steps because I'm not allowed to mention my personal blog on here.


End file.
